Nothing in life is more frustrating than trying to soar like an eagle in a flock of buzzards. I've seen sparrows chase off hawks, or even pigeons roost with chickens, but I'll expect to see a lamb lie down with a lion before I see an eagle buddied up with a bunch of buzzards. That's the way any truly intelligent person should feel if elected to the Congress of the United States. When it comes to buzzards, we've got them in Congress. We've also got a few hawks, an eagle or two, and even some parrots. And as you know, a buzzard is most at home around dead things, like . . . even a dead country. They can't kill it because they're not up for that, but they can sure make it sick. The death blow will come from Congress itself when it finally commits suicide. They'll do this in the passage of some truly idiotic laws.
But forget politics and all the stinky stuff that goes with it, and concentrate on how you'll react if you're not a bottom feeder. Will you try to rise above all the decay and soar above it? That won't work because everything must come back to ground sometime. That's when you get your feet dirtied. Consider this: What about flying to where the landing will be better, where you don't land in deep shit. Is there any such place within flying distance? Yeah, there is, and nicer places. I've got my sights set on Mexico, but the places to pick from are abundant. Considerations about distance should be conditioned by the benefits of finding a better home, and we live in a world now where that's less important. Here's a country you might overlook because of negative publicity - France. But they have heavy taxes, you'll be told. The country is eaten up with savage terrorists, they'll tell you. The water is bad there, and it's socialist, and the people are unfriendly. Remember (and don't forget this), most of this information comes to you via the American news media. Do you trust them to tell the truth? They're the ones who pumped you full of bullshit propaganda about how wonderful the U.S. is, so keep that in mind.
Do your own research; it's easy to do. Make comparisons, and then make judgments. You'll find that the good old U.S. is a long way behind many other countries in any number of things. Then make decisions based on what you can learn, and how much you can afford. Don't neglect looking at countries that are much smaller than the U.S. because good efficient government, stable societies, are easier to create there. Norway, Austria, New Zealand, and Chile are good examples. Someone asked me about Uruguay not long ago. I couldn't give a glowing report, but from what I know it it, some possibilities exist there. There's always Panama, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, or you might like some of the far eastern countries. Stop listening to all the chatter about unstable governments and take a look at your own. Pay attention to costs of living elsewhere and make comparisons.
Ajijic, Mexico, on Lake Chapala south of Guadalajara, is full of American expats who're living on much less than half what it costs to live here. Check out the youtube videos, look at realtor sites, talk to people. The more you know, the better equipped you are to leave here. I think mostly about location. I can drive from my home in one long day all the way to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I can move possessions and precious animals there, or any place in Mexico, with greater ease. I can live there on one fourth what it costs me to live here. Do what's most doable, something that's important to someone my age. If you're younger, the broaden your search, explore other places. And don't wait too long. Time isn't critical at the moment, but a year from now the situation will be worse. It's best to leave before you get caught in a bad bind.
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